James E. Whitehead United States Army 21 December 2006 |
| Tributes Memorial Page Established By- Victoria L. Whitehead James was tragically killed the day after our beloved son's birthday, four days before Christmas, December 21, 2006. He and two others perished when their Black Hawk crashed and nearly disintegrated during a night Iraq training mission. James was so loved by so many, largely due to his friendliness, intelligence, thoughtfulness, and sense of humor. He seemed to always have a dimpled smile on his handsome face. Boy could he "turn a wrench" as he used to say (he was a superb mechanic). We lived a full, healthy and happy life. Tons of beautiful memories, lots of beautiful people. I miss James so bad. What words are there to describe the pain and emptiness? I am comforted knowing he's a sweet angel in Heaven and waiting for us. Another hero and courageous soldier called home. I'll cherish you forever my darling James December 6, 2007 Cheryl In Honor of James Earric Whitehead: Soldier, Son, Husband, Father, Brother, Friend What can a memorial to James, or for that matter, to any of the many fallen soldiers honored here, hope to accomplish? I am exploring that question right now as I write down the words that come to me while I hover over the memory of the bravest brother-in-law I could ever have wanted to know. Memorials are in large part constructed for the living. We who so miss James' presence in our lives, likely feel that only sentiments and memories can now fill the void his absence leaves behind. His parents, his sisters, his wife, his children, other peoples' children from the church group who called him Mr. James, and his close friends... and sorrowfully, his fellow Dark Horse Troop soldiers/comrades who grieved the loss of three of their friends on a cold December night in 2006 near Mt. Rainer, at the site of the BlackHawk Training Mission Crash. All of this in the beforemath of their emminent deployment to Iraq (and the subsequent loss of CWO Josh Flynn this past summer while on active duty, the one who claimed he "Broke James' Cherry" in-flight and the one whose honor it was to escort James' body to North Carolina to be laid to rest last January). If James were still here, he would not want us to take a little thing like being alive for granted! Rejoice! Even in his absence, the love he had for all of us can be felt in our hearts! Rejoice! This was a good man, James, 'JT', Gunny... he answered to many names over his relatively short life. Taken from us at 32 years young, yet he managed to accomplish so much. Including his bi-lingualism, did you know that you could speak Spanish just by adding the letter '-O' to the end of words? el car-O; el boat-O, el problem-O, el bathroom-O? James did! His sense of humor was appreciated, but beyond his light-heartedness, there was a widely held respect for James by those who knew him, commanded by his competency and excellence in the goals he pursued, and always eventually achieved. Excellent-O!! In his memory, may we all strive to accomplish that which is seemingly unattainable! A memorial CAN accomplish good if, other than filling up a page with words, it encourages sharing memories of the past as much as it calls attention to the tragic loss itself. That is why I make mention now of the pride James took in his natural ability, and his very proper collection of well-organized tools, that enabled him to "rescue" many a stranded motorist! He was the quintessential knight in shining armor when you needed the right man and the right tool for the job! And even if he showed up without a wrench in his possession, you could sense his compassion for others, and that was all the handyman any of us could ask for. With Love, all things are possible...God is LOVE! James may never return to us on earth; neither can he leave our hearts, ever... Oct 26, 2007 Lauren Reeves So many fallen it is hard to believe how I can even consider a problem in my life a 'problem'. James you ARE an angel. I think of you often and tell your couragous story to many whom now also honor you and you continue to affect lives of people you have never even met. As many before you and many after you, you ARE truly a hero. Thank you. |
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